Columns & Editorials

There are many things that you can see on the internet that just gets your mind buzzin’. Within
the last few weeks we have seen videos on KONY2012, “Why I hate Religion, But Love
Jesus”, “Why I hate Religion, buy love Jesus (Muslim version), etc. Do I really need
to start on the Presidential candidates? I mean seriously. What and who do you believe? Is
everything we see or hear propaganda? I know of one thing that you can bet your life on… let’s
talk about it.

This article started as a conversation with someone many of you have heard of, FLAME!
If you haven’t heard of FLAME then you will not know that he just dropped his 6th album
called The 6th. The 6th is an album that all of you should pick up. Solid lyrics with solid
beats make this a must buy. That being said there is one song on there that really got me
thinking. The song is called “Scripture Alone”.

When chatting with FLAME I found out one thing about him that is abundantly clear. He believes
with no doubt that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. Not compromising and with no error.
See this would seem to be the norm for most Christians but it isn’t. As FLAME drops knowledge
on this track there is no substitution for the word of God. 40 authors in 3 different languages for
66 books and it is perfect.

FLAME states it like this “The real force behind this record is my desire to understand
Anthropology, the study of mankind, and how it relates to our relationship with Christ. Jesus
came to Earth and spoke with authority to men and women. His word is black and white. It is in
your face much like hip hop. I’ve definitely had my own tragic events in my lifetime but when I
came to Christ, I repented and he saved me. It was at that point that I made the decision to keep
with the rap game but to honor God through it.”

Let’s jump in and see what we can learn from FLAME track “Scripture Alone”:

I can hear your question homie “is that book reliable?”
Yes it is the testaments are very verifiable
What do you believe in? What do you abide by?
Maybe it’s a mixture of different stuff – tye dye
You boys are all syncretist, sinking in your own thoughts
The book that I hold to, cohesive and never off
Saying my book carrying lies but it’s quite the contrary
66 Holy scripts it’s more like a library
Written by by 40 authors in 3 different languages
English is not one of them Greek and Hebrew surely is
Inspired and inerrant, woah what does that mean?
It’s from God and without error in absolutely everything
Yeah it addresses class in session boy I hope you learn something
Hear them lies from the other guys boy I hope you turn from ‘em
Why does it matter though, if the Bible is false or true?
Matter fact before you answer that let me caution you
Don’t play with epistemology homie we need absolutes
If there’s no such thing as truth then…
He can do what he wanna do
She can do what she wanna do
And can’t nobody say nothing
If a killer pull them choppers out and feel like spraying something
Ain’t nobody say it’s wrong and we all know that’s a lie
Somebody outside of us has to speak and rectify
That’s just what God did in the Christian Holy Book
Why don’t you crack it open sit down take a look

God is communicating with us man, the Bible is the most thoroughly documented book work
of all antiquity. If we can’t trust in the Bible we can’t trust nothing. Let’s go!

Why they give my book a hard time? Especially the New Testament
Bi-textual variance that’s utterly irrelevant
To the proper understanding and translation of the text
Yes with more manuscripts there are more variants
But the more the merrier Homie this not a threat
This is strong evidence we possess the original text
Having these manuscripts, different areas different times
Yet they all testify to the same text
God is so_____________ Ain’t no words to explain
How he preserved his words through desert, plains, and heavy rains
But they trying to tell us that the Bible’s been corrupted
I say they are misinformed and they might as well cut it
See FLAME is bout to go deep and I ain’t talking scuba gear
I’m talking real scholarly bought to bring some proof in here
P75 codex vaticanus
These are two manuscripts from scriptures in the canon
And when I say canon I ain’t talking bout “BOOM!”
But the collection of books that will function as the rule
Back to P75 it’s from the second century
The other one is from the fourth sorry for the history
150 years these copies are separated
But it’s so fascinating how they are so closely related
There is not team either controlling the transmission
Just God and His Holy Spirit looking out for his Christians!

Woah! Good stuff for sure. There are many different ways we can go with this but there are
three main points we should make:

1) The scripture alone discusses that what is written is the truth. In John 17:17 it
says “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” No matter what the world tries to tell
us our faith in the Bible being truth is secure. It’s black and white and clear.

2) The criticism that comes from non-Christians is expected. The criticism will be
confrontational but can’t be trusted. In Psalm 25:5 God’s word says “Lead me in your truth
and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I will wait all the daylong.”
Truth will prevail.

3) The truth guarantees us our future. Trusting in Jesus Christ guarantees our inheritance
which is eternal life. Ephesians 1:13-14 says “In him you also, when you heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise
of his glory.”

There are many things that are said to us in our lives that just aren’t right. We can find
absolute truth, as FLAME speaks about, through God’s Holy Word. We should not leave this world the same way we found it. Let’s make a difference!

Chad Horton has co-owned and operated Rapzilla.com with Philip Rood since 2010, bringing with him a decade of music business experience. Horton is also the Director of Marketing for Syntax Creative, the largest independent digital distributor of Christian & Gospel music, among other genres. Originally from Northern California, Horton rooted himself in San Diego with his wife of nine years, as well as two beautiful daughters.